Divorce Process: How to Speed it Along

Depending on the laws in your state, the divorce process can be quite lengthy and time-consuming, so when going through the divorce process, how to speed it along becomes a key question. In addition to the emotional chaos caused by a divorce, there can be a significant financial burden involved in a lengthy divorce because you will need to keep your lawyer on retainer until the final divorce decrees have been filed and approved by the court.

In most cases, it is in your best interest to make the process as streamlined as possible. Hiring an attorney is the best way to navigate through the legal minefield surrounding the issue of divorce, but once you have hired an attorney, consider several areas that can make your divorce as quick and painless as possible.

Divorce Process: How to Speed it Along

One method for speeding up a divorce is to maintain good communication between you and your soon to be former spouse. The more you can agree on before you reach the courtroom, the less time it will take to craft a marital settlement with your lawyer and deal with the other related paperwork. For example, why argue over who should get the snowblower or the sofa to the point that you end up letting the court decide? If you can remain civil and discuss distribution of property in a way that both parties can agree upon, you can take a marital settlement agreement to the court much sooner than waiting for a judge to look at everything.

Another way to speed your divorce process is to talk with your spouse about having an uncontested divorce. This is where both parties agree that they want to proceed with the divorce. Contesting a divorce by one party is one of the most time-consuming parts of the process, and it can drag things out for years. For example, in Pennsylvania, an uncontested divorce can be resolved in 90 days. However, if the divorce is contested, it can be dragged on for up to two full years. Your lawyer can help you work out the details with your spouse’s attorney.

Getting Legal Help

As you move through the divorce process, how to speed it along becomes even more paramount as tensions and emotions may rise. The best way to speed up your divorce process is still to hire a competent attorney. Because of their many years of legal training and experience, a skilled divorce attorney will be able to advise you of what the requirements for receiving a divorce in your state are, as well as to help communicate with your spouse’s attorney and craft a settlement that is mutually beneficial and that will allow you both to move on with your lives.